Electrical switch.



' No. 691,780. I Patented Jan. 28, I902.

C. J. KINTNEB.

' ELECTRICAL ITCH.

(Application filed c; 9,190o

(No Model.) Z'Shepts-Sheet l.

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n" 2 W? $944M" v No.$69l,780. Patented Jan. 28, I902.

c. J. KINTNER. ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

. (Application filed 'oceis, 1900.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets$heet 2.

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U ITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. KI NTNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,780, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed October 29, 1900- Serial No. 34,766. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KINTNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the borough of Manhattan, county and State ofNew York, have made anew and useful Invention in Electrical Switches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to improvements in that type ofswitches known in the art as snap-switches; and it has for its object todevise a switch of this type which shall be of the simplest possiblestructure, least number of parts, and adapted for use wherever it isrequired to quickly and efiectively interrupt an electrical circuit ofrelatively high potential without dangerous or damaging arcing and willbe fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-'Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken through the body, ofthe simplest form of my novel switch, parts of the switch being shown inside elevational view.- Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating theapplication of my improvementto a bipolar switch. Fig. 8 is a verticalsectional View taken through Fig. 4 on the line 1 y' and as seen lookingthereat in the direction of the arrows from the bottom toward the top ofthe drawings, illustrating the application of myimprovement to what isknown in the art as a flushswitch. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional viewof the same, taken on the broken line x w, Fig. 3, and as seen lookingthereat in the direction of the arrows from the top toward the'bottom ofthe drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first to Fig. 1, Brepresents an insulating base-board or support, preferably of marble orslate, and E and A are the metallic or conducting terminals of theswitch proper secured thereto by binding posts B B and screws'N N,extendingthrough said parts. The terminal E is made, preferably, ofsteel and is so constructed that its free or movable end is in thenature of a thin fiat leaf-spring S, the intermediate portion S betweenthe terminal E and the spring S being of graduallydecreasing thickness.The part S is curved, as shown, so that when the terminal E is securedto the base and the free end of S is in the position shown behind theledge D of an upraised portion of the base B it will be under strain. His an insulatinghandle supported by a metallic shank G,which in turn isbrazed or otherwise secured to the combined part S S. The inner end ofthe fixed terminal A, adjacent to the free end of the movablespring-terminal S, is provided with an upwardly-extending arm L and anangular ledge C, the point of which bears a fixed or definite relationto the'fulcrum about which the handleH turns when moved in the directionof the arrow. The angle of the ledge D bears the same relation to saidfulcrum. P P are cone -shaped lugs on the under surfaces of theterminals A and E, adapted to fitinto corresponding cone-shaped holesinthe baseB,thearrangementbeingsuch that when the binding-postsB B" andscrews N N are in position the terminals A and E will be firmly securedto the base or support and in direct alinement with each other. The

operation of this form of the apparatus is as follows: Under the presentcondition the circuit is interrupted between the free end of the movablespring-terminal S and the adjacent end of the fixed terminal A, and saidspring is held under strong tension against the face of the' ledge D. Toconnect the switch in circuit, the operator simply takes hold of thehandle H and bears down upon it, forcing it to theright in the directionof the arrow,"thereby causing the free end of the movablespring-terminal- S to snap over the ledge D and pastthe correspondingledge (1 against the race of the armLof the fixed terminal A. When thehandle is released, the

spring S assumes the position shown in dotted lines, bearing endwise,with its free end abutting firmly against the angular face between theupwardly-extending arm L and the ledge O and in such manner that theflat face thereof makes relatively large surface contact against thecorresponding face of said arm. When it is desired to rupture thecircuit, the switch-handle is simply moved in the other direction, thespring-terminal S being caused to buckle a sufficient amount to give ita snap-acting force, so that its free end will snap past the ledges Oand D in a reverse direction from the first operation,

where it will remain, as'clearly shown in full.

lines in the drawings.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings Ihave shown the application of this especialform of my improvement to a bipolar switch where the parts, as shown anddescribed in connection with Fig. 1, are simply duplicated in the andcircuits of an electrical system embodying two current-mains w w w to.In this structure, however, the combined parts S S are connectedtogether by a cross-bar T, of hard rubber, having grooves, as shown at25 t, at its opposite ends, which fit snugly over the parts S S of thecombined switch, the handle H in this instance being secured to themiddle of the cross-bar T. The operation of this form is obvious, itbeing apparcut that the circuit will be interrupted at two points in thecurrent-mains w w w w simultaneously in the same manner that it wasinterrupted at one point by the switch shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 and 4.- I have illustrated the application of my improvementto whatis known in the art as a flush snap-switch, in which the outerface of the supporting base or box of the switch is flush with the wallor facing wherein it is seated and secured and two pushbuttons areprovided for actuating the switch. In this form of the improvement, 13represents the supporting-base in the nature of a metallic box, and 15the cover therefor, the part B being provided with flanges F F extendingentirely around it, and internal bearings for push-pins I P which latterare made, preferably, of hard rubber or other insulating material andprovided with heads at their opposite ends, the outer heads P P" beingthe former of black material and the latter of light material, as isusual, and both detachable from the pins. S represents the yielding ormovable terminal of the switch, which is similar in all respects to thespring S, hereinbefore described, and it is adjustably secured in a slitin the pivotal terminal E by clamping screws 5 3 said terminal beingprovided with operatingarms a a and pivotally supported upon aninsulating journal-bearing F, provided with a shoulder J and washer K,the arrangement being such that when the parts are assembled theterminal will be wholly insulated from the box B and its lid or cover13, while the free end of the spring S will be adapted to move back andforth through an opening R in an insulating-block I, preferably ofporcelain or hard rubber, the bottom of said opening being constructed,as shown, with three depressions 1, 2, and 3. The depression 3 isconsiderably deeper than are the corresponding depressions 1 and 2, thefunction thereof being to enable one to adjust the spring S to theproper position in the slit and secure the same therein with theclamping-screws s when the switch is set up. The insulatingblock I,the-cover B and the box B are properly assembled and secured together byfour screws 8 s" s 8 although the screws .9 8 might be done away with,if preferred, and a single screw substituted therefor, extending throughthe insulating-bearing F in a manner which will be entirely obvious. Oneof the conductors it) extends through an opening in the insulating-blockI and is secured by a binding-post B directly to the terminal E. Theother conductor 20 and the conducting fixed terminal are secured to theinsulatingblock I by a binding-post I3 and projecting lug P insubstantially the same manner as are the like parts in Fig. 1. Thedownwardlyextending arm L partakes of the necessary curvature to fitwithin the depression 1 so that its free end constitutes a ledge C,similar to the corresponding ledge C, Fig. 1, D being a shoulder orledge corresponding to the like shoulder or ledge in Fig. 1. Theoperation of this modified form of the invention will be obvious, itbeing apparent that on depressing the push-pin P by the thumb, asillustrated, the switch will assume the position shown in full lines,and upon removal of the thumb it will assume the position shown indotted lines, there being sufficient endwise pressure between the freeend of the spring S and the arm L to always assure good contact and toleave it (the spring) slightly buckled or curved, so that when thepush-pin P is acted upon the spring will buckle in a reverse directionin the same manner as did the like part in Fig. 1 and the end thereofultimatelybe seated in the depression 2 behind the ledge D. In otherwords, when the free end of the spring S is released from either of thepositions behind the ledge G or D the pressure exerted upon the properpush-pin at that time, together with the elastic action of the spring Swill cause its free end to pass entirely over the depression 3 andbehind the proper ledge O or D.

I do not limit my invention to the specific constructions herein shownand described for effecting the rupture of a relatively high potentialelectrical circuit without damaging or dangerous arcing, as I believe Iam broadly entitled to claim a structural electrical switch in which thebuckling or yielding action between a conducting-spring whichconstitutes the movable conducting-terminal thereof is brought into playby endwise pressure against a fixed conducting-terminal and in suchmanner that a snap action is effected at the free end of the movablespring terminal when the operating or controlling handle of such movableterminal is moved in opposite directions through a definite range ofmovement, so as to cause the buckling action of the spring to effect asudden snap or rupture of the circuit, and my claims are generic as tothe application of this buckling action due to endwise pressure betweenthe fixed and movable terminals.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An electric switch consisting of fixed and movableconducting-terminals, the movable terminal being in the nature of aspring so arranged, when the circuit is closed, that the free endthereof bears endwise against the fixed terminal, thus causing thespring to be bentvor buckled under pressure, and in such manner thatwhen it i's'forcedaway from the fixed terminal it will leave the samewith a sudden or snap action, substantially as described.

2. An electric switch consisting of fixed and movableconducting-terminals,the movable terminal being in the nature of aspring yieldingly secured at one end only toa base or support, while thefree'end thereof is adapted to contact with the fixed terminal securedto the same base or support, the arrangementbeing such that when thecircuit is closed the free end of the movable terminal bears endwiseagainst the fixed terminal and causes the spring to assume a bent orbuckled shape, substantially as described.

3. A snap-switch consisting of fixed and movable conducting-terminalssecured to a supporting-base, the movable terminal being in the natureof a spring operati vely connected with two push-pins extending throughthe in the nature of a spring adjustable in the direction of its lengthand adapted, when the circuit is closed, to bear endwise against thefixed terminal in such manner as togive to the spring a bent or buckledshape, substantially as described,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES J. KINTNER.

Witnesses: I

JAMES P. J. MORRIS, M. F. KEATING.

